A Connection Forged in the High Fortress #2
Yuria and Meryl sat at the vast dining table inside the High Fortress. Yuria eyed the bread Meryl had baked with a hint of suspicion. At least the smell was fine. She had watched the entire process, and there had been no sign of any drugs being added. Just eat it. What's the worst that could happen? Die?
Having made up her mind, Yuria took a bite and chewed slowly. Her eyes widened.
Just as she said, the bread Meryl had made was truly delicious. Good enough to open a bakery and make it a huge success. It was densely filled, soft, and perfectly seasoned.
"Right? It's good, isn't it? Hehe..."
Meryl's mouth stretched into a wide grin at the praise. She bounced her upper body as she grabbed more bread and ate. Yuria let out a small chuckle at the sight, and the two of them silently devoured all six loaves. The plate was emptied in no time.
After eating three pieces, Yuria watched Meryl pat her round belly and thought her appetite was impressive. Hoo... I'm so full... To think that tiny body could hold three large pieces of bread. When she grew up, she would probably eat thirty.
Deciding it was time to gather information, Yuria called out to her.
"Meryl."
"Yeees?"
"You have to treat me with respect, right? You must answer any question I ask?"
"That's right."
"Who lives in this fortress? Tell me, excluding the monsters guarding the outside."
At that, Meryl spread all five fingers wide, then began folding them one by one as she listed names.
"The Demon King, and... Lady Yuria, and... Hmm... Do I have to count the servants too?"
"No. Leave the servants out."
"What about the prisoners in the dungeon?"
"Prisoners? Go on, tell me."
"A few human knights... and one pretty lady..."
A pretty lady. The thought struck Yuria like a hammer. It had to be her mother, Margaret. Her tension skyrocketed as she cut Meryl off.
"Wait. What's the name of that pretty lady?"
"I don't know it very well."
"Then what does she look like?"
"Hmm..."
Meryl cutely tilted her head toward the ceiling in thought, then stared closely at Yuria. Suddenly, she clapped her hands together with a loud smack.
"She looks a lot like Lady Yuria!"
It was definitely her mother. While there might be other women who resembled her, in this place crawling with monsters, there was only one such person—her mother.
Yuria shot to her feet.
"Where is the underground dungeon?"
Meryl flinched in terror and dove under the table, trembling violently. Realizing her mistake, Yuria softened her expression and crouched down.
"Meryl."
"Lady Yuria... I'm scared... Please don't kill me..."
"Why would I kill you? I have no intention of doing that at all."
"But back in the kitchen, when you covered my mouth... you said you would... Hic..."
"That was just something I said in the moment. I was anxious someone might overhear... I'm sorry."
Her tone had grown incredibly gentle. Meryl let out a sigh of relief.
"Hoo... Lady Yuria... I was so scared..."
Yuria felt a strange emotion stir deep in her chest. In the past, she had thought of monsters as bloodthirsty murderers and the very embodiment of evil. But seeing Meryl—who trusted and followed her words so faithfully, and seemed more human than most humans—made that prejudice begin to blur.
Was I holding a preconception...?
"Huh...? What do you mean?"
Meryl looked utterly confused. Yuria shook her head and asked instead.
"It's nothing. Can you tell me where the underground dungeon is?"
"If you go outside the fortress and head a little north, you'll see it right away."
Tyrat had said she could move freely inside the fortress, but she must never go outside. If she broke that warning, her mother's head would... be smashed to pieces.
Yuria bit down hard on her lower lip. Rescuing her mother right now was still impossible. She would have to wait for the right moment.
"Thank you, Meryl. Can I ask one more thing?"
"Yes. As many as you like."
"That pretty lady in the dungeon... Did she have any injuries on her body?"
"Not at all. The monsters are treating her very well."
Her mother, Margaret, possessed outstanding physical abilities just like her. Could the monsters have acknowledged that? No. No matter how strong her physical prowess, it couldn't compare to monsters. This had to be because of Tyrat's orders.
"Did the Demon King command them? To serve her with utmost care?"
"That's right."
"Then why is she in the underground dungeon?"
"I heard that she wants to be there."
"From whom?"
"The head chef. But she sometimes eats here too."
".... Really? That pretty lady?"
"Yes, it's true. I've seen her eating soup here from afar a few times."
That meant she could come and go freely between the dungeon and the fortress... It was confusing. Maybe she should just ask Tyrat outright.
As she mulled over various thoughts, Meryl asked,
"Was I helpful?"
Yuria gave a bright smile and nodded firmly.
"You were a huge help. Thank you so much."
"That's a relief! Hehe..."
Meryl looked delighted. Yuria couldn't help but feel warm inside. How can she be this cute...? She seriously wondered if Tyrat had sent this adorable monster on purpose to torment her to death.
"I'll be counting on you from now on, Meryl."
"I'll be counting on you too! Lady Yuria!"
"Let's get along well. By the way, do you live here too?"
"No. I live alone in the mountains."
"The mountains?"
"Yes. The mountains outside the fortress. When I'm practicing cooking, I'm allowed to come and go freely. The Demon King gave me special permission. Sometimes I sleep here too."
"I see... Were you always alone? Or..."
"I used to live with Mom and Dad. But..."
"But?"
"They passed away two years ago."
Though she tried to speak calmly, Meryl looked like she was about to cry. Feeling she had brought up something she shouldn't have, Yuria moved closer and gently stroked the girl's head.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay... If it weren't for the Demon King, I probably..."
Meryl trailed off. One of her ears suddenly perked up. She looked toward the dining hall door in alarm. Yuria followed her gaze with a puzzled expression, watching what she did.
A moment later, the dining hall door creaked open, and Tyrat appeared.
Yuria was shocked. To think Meryl could detect Tyrat's presence—one that even she herself hadn't noticed—simply by twitching her ear once. It seemed Meryl possessed a special ability. Perhaps the power to sense those of the same kind?
Meryl bowed her head shyly and greeted him.
"D-Demon King! Hello..."
Tyrat smiled kindly.
"So you were practicing your cooking."
"Yeees... That's right... I made bread... and ate it with Lady Yuria here. Shall I make some for you too, Demon King?"
"No need. It's late, so stay the night in the fortress today."
"I-Is that really okay...?"
"Of course. You know where, yes?"
"Yes! The middle room on the second floor!"
"Correct. I have something to discuss with Yuria, so return to your room."
"Understooood..."
Meryl bowed deeply, gave Yuria a farewell nod as well, then scurried out of the dining hall on her short legs.
Tyrat looked at Yuria, who was openly displaying wariness toward him, and let out a small chuckle.
"You must have been hungry."
Yuria's face flushed bright red. She felt oddly embarrassed.
"M-Mind your own business...!"
Tyrat nodded and took the seat of honor, crossing his legs.
"Sit beside me."
"Why should I?"
"I am bored, so let us chat. Meryl has a loose tongue, and you must have extracted quite a bit of information from her. You must have many questions for me, no?"
"....."
Seeing that Tyrat knew exactly what she had done, Yuria once again thought of Jihyeok. His deep insight was similar too. The more she looked at him, the more her hostility seemed to soften. Ah, no...
Yuria pulled herself together with effort and slowly walked over to sit in the chair beside the seat of honor. She immediately asked,
"Why are you treating my mother so well? Because she's a high-ranking prisoner?"
"Ask her yourself."
"Stop playing word games! You locked her in the dungeon! And you told me not to go outside the fortress!"
"Ho... You follow my orders well. How unexpected."
Yuria grew flustered.
"N-No... That's because you threatened me... Just answer me! How am I supposed to ask her myself?"
"Margaret comes to the fortress whenever she wishes and chats with me. Did Meryl not tell you? She comes occasionally."
"I heard that, but... My mother chats with you...?"
"Indeed."
The idea that her mother would laugh and talk with the Demon King... It was unbelievable. But with both her and her mother held hostage, and with Tyrat possessing such overwhelming power, there was no reason for him to lie.
"Don't tell me you ordered a monster like Amon to hypnotize her..."
"If I want something, I step forward myself. Why would I bother with such pointless tricks?"
"....."
That was true... With his insurmountable strength, he could obtain anything he desired. Yuria's face grew even redder than before. Suggesting he had ordered Amon to hypnotize her... Even she realized how ridiculous it sounded.
"W-When will Mother come?"
"I told you. Whenever she feels like it."
"I can't trust your words. To confirm Mother is safe, guide me to the underground dungeon right now."
At those words, Tyrat's eyes darkened.
"You said it yourself, did you not? That the weak have no right to honor. Yet I am showing mercy to you, who are weak. If you have a request, make it politely."
"You...!"
Yuria was speechless. She could only tremble. After glaring at Tyrat for a long time, she finally squeezed out the words.
"Please... guide me... to the underground dungeon..."
"More politely."
".... I can't..."
"You can't? Now I am beginning to doubt whether you truly care about Margaret."
"How dare you...!"
"How dare? The only being who may use such an arrogant phrase is myself alone."
His voice overflowed with confidence and dignity, carrying the unmistakable aura of one who walked the path of supremacy. If someone said his voice contained absolute dominance, one would believe it. That was how overwhelmingly powerful Tyrat's words felt.
Yuria unconsciously took half a step back.
"Ugh...!"
She hated to admit it, but the fact that she was instinctively agreeing made her feel utterly pathetic. Any thought of resisting Tyrat had been crushed by fear and vanished completely. Her legs began to shake on their own.
Tyrat observed her trembling form with a relaxed expression, then glanced outside the dining hall and rose from his seat.
"A guest has arrived. Let us stop here for today. Treat Meryl well. She is a pitiful child who gets lonely easily, so if you are bored, keep her company. The middle room on the second floor."
With those words, Tyrat opened the dining hall door and stepped out.
The strength left Yuria's body, and she collapsed onto the floor. After sitting there dazed for a while, she remembered how Tyrat had glanced outside and struggled back to her feet with a groan. He had been chatting with her just moments ago, only to leave immediately upon mentioning a guest. Who could it be?
Could it be Aaron...?
Before she had been forcibly taken through the portal at the royal castle, Tyrat had said that. That bringing Aaron along would be fine, and that if he had the courage, he would come on his own. The Aaron she knew was a man full of courage. Though his strength was weak.
Honestly, whether he lived or died didn't matter to her, but Yuria wondered if Aaron might somehow be of help and left the dining hall. If he had come, he would surely be causing a commotion outside the fortress. Since going outside would incur Tyrat's wrath, she would watch from a second-floor window. If necessary, she could even throw some furniture to help him.
As Yuria began walking with that thought in mind—
-.... Ahnng! .... Master!-
Huh?
From the audience chamber at the end of the right corridor came a woman's coquettish, spoiled whine. Yuria realized that was why the Demon King had left and let out a hollow laugh. So he hadn't left because Aaron had arrived, but to engage in that sort of act with a female monster. What a filthy bastard...
Still, it was understandable. A being with such power could indulge his desires whenever he wished. She considered herself extremely lucky that the target wasn't her. Then, a sudden curiosity arose.
What kind of sex would that brutal Demon King have?
The curiosity that gripped Yuria's entire body led her toward the audience chamber.
-Aahng♡ Demon King...! You're too rough...!-
The woman's moans grew increasingly clear. When Yuria reached the massive, ornate gray door of the audience chamber, she noticed it was slightly ajar and swallowed hard.
I won't get caught... right?
He was surely too engrossed in sex to notice. Gathering her courage, Yuria peeked through the gap.
The audience chamber was so dark it was difficult to make anything out. The gap was narrow as well, so instead of relying on her eyes, Yuria pressed her ear to the opening and focused.
Along with rhythmic slapping sounds, the woman's voice rang out.
"Hyaah...! Kyaaang...♡ I'm... I'm about to cum already...!"
The moans were growing higher and higher. It seemed they were having rather intense sex. Hearing the cries suddenly reminded Yuria of the sex she had shared with Jihyeok, and her throat tightened violently. She shook her head to dispel the thought.
Then a new realization hit her.
Something... about that voice feels familiar...
The pitch was too high to distinguish clearly, but the woman's voice was definitely familiar. Yuria concentrated her hearing to the utmost. And at the woman's next words, her eyes flew wide open.
"Demon Kiiing...♡ Does Margaret's pussy please you...? Inside this married woman's cunt... that has taken on Your Majesty's form... Hyaang! Please fill it to the brim with Your Majesty's seed...♡ Please purify... this lowly body of mine...♡"